By Stefan Djordjevic/ info@eurohoops.net
The NBA schedule was unveiled and European fans should be ready for some great clashed between players from the old continent.
The league’s 73rd regular season will tip off on Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018, and conclude on Wednesday, April 10, 2019.
Eurohoops picked out ten European match-ups which every fan should watch as the upcoming NBA season gets underway.
Giannis Antetokounmpo vs Nikola Jokic
Many would say that they are the best two European players in the NBA at the moment. And both are improving even further as time goes by. Their stats reflect it. They recorded double-double averages last season as Antetokounmpo posted 26.9 points and 10 rebounds per game leading Milwaukee to the playoffs while Jokic notched 18.5 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. Jokic also made it into history books by recording the fastest triple-double in NBA history in 14 minutes and 33 seconds.
November 11: Denver Nuggets – Milwaukee Bucks
Slovenian link – Luka Doncic vs Goran Dragic
At 19 years old Doncic is by far the most accomplished European player of his age in the game’s history. This past season he won the EuroLeague title and the Spanish League title with Real Madrid while getting all the individual honors possible. He also won the EuroBasket with the Slovenian national team and he did so in partnership with Goran Dragic.
Needless to say, the young Maverick bears a lot of expectations on his shoulders and will surely be extra motivated to prove himself on the court against the older Slovenian he looks up to. Although there was a possibility for them to end up in the same team, Dragic will now have to teach his fellow Slovenian an NBA lesson the hard way… Or maybe it will be the other way around?
February 13: Dallas Mavericks – Miami Heat
Tony Parker faces San Antonio
After 17 years with the San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker decided it’s time for a change and joined the Charlotte Hornets. He was selected by the Spurs back in the 2001 NBA Draft and became a key part of one of the biggest dynasties ever in the league. In a trio with Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili, he won four NBA championships (2003, 2005, 2007, 2014) under the leadership of coach Greg Popovich. This will be his first time to play for another NBA team and no doubt his return as a Hornet to the city of San Antonio will be emotional…
The European players Parker will face in his return include another basketball legend in Pau Gasol who will be backed up by Davis Bertans and Marco Belinelli.
January 14: San Antonio Spurs – Charlotte Hornets
The Gasol brothers’ clash
It’s always interesting to watch brothers compete against each other and Gasols are one of the most accomplished brother duos in basketball. They led the Spanish national team to seven medals in various competitions together while unfortunately, they didn’t have the opportunity to play in the same club so far.
And time is running out. Especially for 38-year-old Pau, which gives both of them extra motivation to set the score as their match-ups in the upcoming season might be the last. They have played 29 times against each other so far and the last seven have gone in favor of the elder brother’s team.
November 21: San Antonio Spurs – Memphis Grizzlies
The 2014 NBA draftees – Kristaps Porzingis vs Nikola Jokic
As seasons go by, their rivalry can get only more fierce. Both 23-year-olds have been selected by their respective teams in the 2014 NBA Draft and have made an impact pretty fast, especially last season.
Jokic wasn’t the only one making history last season. Porzingis became the first player in the NBA since the 1983–84 to post at least 40 points, five rebounds, five blocks and make two 3-pointers. In two of their match-ups, they combined for 55+ points.
The only question is wheater Porzingis will recover from the ACL injury soon enough for their duels next season, although the team is optimistic. If the “Unicorn” misses the first game, there is a high possibility they will face each other in March, for when the second game is scheduled.
January 1: Denver Nuggets – New York Knicks
Serbian reunion – Teodosic/Marjanovic vs Bogdanovic/Bjelica
Although Milos Teodosic and Nemanja Bjelica had an uncertain NBA future during this summer, both of them stayed in the league. Milos remained in the LA Clippers where Boban Marjanovic joined him last season while Bjelica moved from Minnesota to Sacramento where he got together with Bogdan Bogdanovic.
The clash of these two teams features all Serbian players currently in the NBA with the exception of Nuggets star Nikola Jokic. All of them know each other more than well and have won various medals with Serbian national team but surprisingly never with all four of them in the roster.
November 29: Sacramento Kings – LA Clippers
Clash of generations – Lauri Markkanen vs Dirk Nowitzki
It didn’t take long for the public to set the bar high for Lauri Markkanen and compare him with Dirk Nowitzki. The similarities couldn’t be overlooked as both players are 213cm tall power forwards from Europe with an ability to shoot from behind the arc.
And although both picks were criticized at first, Nowitzki went on to become the sixth overall scorer in NBA history while Markkanen is following his footsteps as he banked eight triples in a single game last season to tie Dirk’s record for most 3-pointers made in a game by a seven feet tall player. Looks like Dirk Nowitzki isn’t the last of his kind.
October 22: Dallas Mavericks – Chicago Bulls
Above the rim – Rudy Gobert vs Clint Capela
If anything happens in the paint, it has to go past these two. Rudy Gobert and Clint Capela were a respectable force near the rim last season, both defensively and offensively. Capela ranked fourth in blocks averaged with 1.9 per game while Gobert was third with 2.3 blocks per game and won the defensive player of the year award.
Offensively, both players have the ability to set up good screens and are a big lob threat in pick-and-roll sets. Capela averaged 13.9 points and 10.8 rebounds while leading the league in the field goal percentage (65.2%). Gobert was right behind him with 13.5 points and 10.7 rebounds while shooting 61.5% from the field.
October 24: Houston Rockets – Utah Jazz